The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1887-12-10
STORING UP VEGETABLES.


How Best to Keep Thorn In Good Condition
Through the Winter.
The best kind of squashes for keep
ing are the hard sIielled varieties, such
as the Hubbard and hard shelled Tur-
ban. The marrow, though far more
productive and popular kind for use
in early autumn. Is not good keeper,
and is far inferior in quality to the hard
shells.
Squashes are best stored in a loft
provided with stove and double win
dows to keep out frost They are usu-
ally piled on shelves two or three tiers
deep, and will need looking over about
twice every month to pick out the
speckled ones. In winter specked
squashes are saIeable. and are really
nearly as good as sound ones, but if
neglected speckled squash viii in a
few days become worthless. Squashes
keep best in dry atmosphere at a
temperature Of forty to fifty degrees.
A dry cellar provided with furnace is
a pretty good place to store them if
well aired.
Onions keep best in a dry loft during
the fall, and as cold weather comes on
they should be removed in barrels to a
cellar, or the loft may be provided
with a stove to keep out frost, or the
onions may be frozen and kept so, TAX
ing care to cover them after freezing
SO that they viii not thaw out fire.
quently. When wanted for spring sale
they keep better frozen than in any
other way. but if frozen and thawed
frequently they will not keep well
Potatoes and roots of all kinds keeps
best in pits out Of doors. If piled not
over two feet deep they will need no
ventilation. but turnips will hardly
bear piling more than one and one-half
feet deep. The most convenient way
to make pit is to split land with the
plow about FIVE feet wide, shovel out
the earth at each side and then back in
the cart with the roots and dump them.
Level them off with rounding top,
sprinkle little straw over them and
then cover with three or four inches Of
earth. As cold weather comes on and
there is danger of freezing through this
covering of earth put on enough litter
or coarse manure to keep out frost
When vegetables are stored in cellars
they must be kept from fermenting. as
they surely will when piled in large
bulk. This may be accomplished by
piling on shelves so as to allow some
circulation Of air among them. or by
packing in barrels There is some
danger that the vegetables in cellars
will wilt if they are exposed to too free
circulation OF air, and some care is
needed to avoid this.
Celery is best stored in large quantity
in pit covered with boards. and over
these enough eel grass or other litter
to keep out frost The cooler the pit
the better will the celery keep if not
frozen. In the cellar the air is too dry,
and the celery will soon wilt unless
covered with earth, which is rather
troublesome. A supply for week $
use may be kept in the cellar by cover
ing it with moist rags or bagging A
moderate quantity of celery for family
use may be put into a trench dug as
deep as the length Of the plants. wide
enough for three rows of roots and as
long as required. Cover with couple
OF boards to shed rain, and over these
enough litter to keep out frost.
Spinach will keep for two or three
months in cold pit on shelves piled
not more than six inches deep. The pit
should be provided with ventilation.
and allowed to freeze slightly before
covering it. In warm. rainy weather,
the pit should be covered up close, but
in cold weather aired freely so as to
keep the spinach frozen if possible.
When it thaws out it will not keep well.
If supply Of radishes. lettuce. parsley
or dandelions are wanted fresh during
winter they must be grown under glass.
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